Tupelo Honey Chicken Salad
For the Chicken:
3 to 4 boneless chicken breasts
3/4 cup pineapple juice
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon finely minced fresh ginger
Combine pineapple juice, olive oil, soy sauce, garlic and ginger. Add chicken breasts to mixture and marinate in fridge for 2 to 4 hours. Remove from marinade and saute on a preheated ridged grill pan or in an iron skillet turning once until cooked through. about 4 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and slice thinly.
For the Peach Fennel Salsa:
1/2 cup diced fresh fennel (bulb, stalk, and feathery leaves, tough outer layer discarded)
2 cups peeled and diced peaches (about 4 peaches)
1 cup diced roasted red bell pepper (I used the jarred variety)
1/2 cup diced red onion
4 teaspoons roasted garlic oil (I cooked 4 whole garlic cloves in 1/4 cup olive oil for about 20 minutes)
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Combine the fennel, peaches, bell peppers, onion, garlic oil, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Refrigerate in an airtight container for at least 30 minutes. The salsa can be kept refrigerated for 2 days.
For the Pecan Vinaigrette:
1/4 cup pecans
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
2 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 1/2 teaspoons whole-grain mustard
1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons tupelo honey (or what you have)
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup canola oil
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Pulling it All Together:
Place salad greens in individual bowls. Top with chicken slices and salsa. Serve with the vinaigrette drizzled over the top. Garnish with a fennel frond if desired.